Rethinking Stock: "Bone Broth" Secrets!

[@She-M-C]

This is by far my newest favorite channel. As a long time cook, I have learned more great cooking/science techniques in just a couple videos than I ever did watching Alton Brown and I love his cooking. Mr Starr, I hope you keep creating new content, it’s really inspiring and informative. Thank You!

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Alton is my spirit animal. Thank you!

[@prubroughton1864]

My dogs love the veg that comes out of the stock pot as a favourite meal😊

[@thokk10289]

Another good source of stock parts are wing tips. When I make wings I always get the full wings and I always snip the tips and freeze them. I've wondered about concentrating my stocks but never got to it. Thanks for the technique!

[@ProfessorKitchen]

I never thought of concentrating my stock. Brilliant!

[@JLamstudio]

The best way to make a stock, in my humble opinion as a professional chef for over ten years, is to make it in an Instant Pot. All the delicious flavors and aromas are trapped inside the pressure cooker. When you’re cooking something at home, and your friend and family come over and say, “Wowww, what are you cooking? It smells Wonderful!” That’s not a good thing! That just means all the aromas and flavors you actually want in your food are evaporating into thin air!!!! The Instant Pot makes an incredibly CLEAN and gorgeous looking stock that’s packed with flavor!!! And you don’t have to waste any time babysitting it, and it does it in half or even a quarter of the time to make a traditional stock. For a chicken stock, I do one hour. For beef, two hours. And for vegetable stock, 30 minutes! That is Unheard of in a traditional commercial kitchen! Everyone should get an Instant Pot!!!! ****this post has not been approved or endorsed or Sponsored by Instant Pot**** 🙄🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

I definitely hear you on the Instant Pot. It's one of my FAVORITE tools in the kitchen. (And I often get stink-eye from serious home cooks... "You're a REAL chef, and you use an Instant Pot?" I don't know what that's about...) I use my Instant Pot for stock pretty often, but it's just not big enough for this kind of project that gets me several months' worth of stock at a single time.

[@templenaff5598]

I have used my Instapot to make stock and I agree with you both. It does taste good and it doesn’t make very much. We processed 14 meat birds so I had a bunch of feet, necks and backs. I bought a giant crock pot that works great for this. I can make 12 pints from this and have great food leftovers for my dogs with the meaty chunks. There are only 2 of us so I can pints but it’s rich so I can water it down to make a quart and it still has plenty of flavor. For one or two chickens I use my instapot. For more I use my crock pot. Both of them are set it and forget it which is my favorite way to cook. 😉

[@sgarcata]

I've been a fan of pressure cookers since first getting married in 1963. Ten years ago i got my intsapot. I love it!

[@conniebrister7229]

Love the roasting tip!

[@PortalFPV]

A tip i learned from Good Eats, was to utilize an ice chest to rapidly cool all that delicious stock without compromising your refrigerator

[@ryanhau1073]

Been making my own stock, and how I store it is using my dehydrator to make it into a power. Stock Power is very convenient, and the stuff I make taste better than the store bought powder. I also like to add mushrooms and bell pepper scraps in my stock

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Cool ideas, thanks for sharing!

[@mikezetts1]

I have been making bone broth for a number of years now, but really appreciate picking up the tips on chicken feet and hacking the bones. A couple of quick notes: why not roast the buns prior to hacking to minimize the spread path engines. Also, I find that I get a far more gelatinous bone broth by cooking at a lower temperature than you can get from a pressure cooker.

[@irisdude]

Chicken feet really work making the best stock! Since I started using them, my chicken stock has been out of this world!

[@karmelicanke]

Glace de viande, a stellar product in the kitchen. Thanks for the demo. The last time I watched this process was in Paris, 1972. The oblong 'stock pot' was the size of a slim bathtub. The concentrate sure does save on storage space.

[@nataliajimenez1870]

I started making my own stock because my husband is in a very low sodium diet to control his blood pressure. Almost all the commercial available stocks or concentrates have very high sodium content or are incredibly bland. And homemade stock provides incredible richness and flavor to dishes without having to add fat. I always get people wondering how I get my sauteed vegetables, stews and soups to be so flavorful. I always have have chicken and beef stock in the freezer. It's very convenient to freeze some of it in ice cube trays and then put them in Ziploc bags. Those cubes are great when adding stock to stir fries

[@HeyPearly]

Fantastic! So amazing and so, SO informative! I've seen the chicken feet in the local grocery shopping store. I had NO IDEA who or WHY anyone would buy such a gross item. Thank You Ben, I've been educated, informed and now considering buying those gross things! Lol! You are the best!

[@Theaterverslaafde]

Ah, lovely! Thanks for all your effort and insights. Really appreciated 👍🏻

[@eunicetan3367]

Love Ben's channel. Always detailing useful tips without wasting time.

[@cxoot]

Best stock video I've come across, & I've seen quite a few.

[@TerriKash-NEO]

Really fascinating. Informative. Educational. Thank you. 😊

[@anneturner8579]

You are one of my favorites! So much information!

[@matthewleewillis]

Absolutely awesome video. I knew 80% but the other 20 was amazing. THANK YOU!

[@amnagel]

Great information, Ben! I save up rotisserie chicken carcasses and use a slow cooker for 24 hours then reduce for gravy but have never roasted bones or veg first.

[@sgarcata]

I love your photo-bomging pooch!

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

He's good at that

[@lesliefisher9309]

What kind of dog is he?

[@benb1569]

Thanks for your videos! Keep the good work!

[@carolynphelan599]

Wonderful advice to help tweak my stock making.

[@Shalmanese]

You should look into a liquid siphon like www.amazon.com/TERAPUMP-Emergency-Survival-Disaster-Drinking/dp/B00WZXAKD2, they're a great help when making large quantities of stock. In an empty pot, drop the siphon so it's an inch from the bottom and then mark the siphon (you can also 3d print a cage to go around the siphon to keep it an inch off the bottom). Then, let the stock settle for 30m so all the solids drop to the bottom and start siphoning from where your mark is. You get clear stock without any fat and debris. You can also do the same for consomme to not disturb the raft. When I get close to the end of the batch, I pour the rest through a sieve into a seperate bowl (or the consomme back into the normal stock). You should also look into freeze thaw clarification for small batches of consomme. Much easier to do than egg white clarification if you just want some for one dish at a dinner party.

[@joisea9509]

Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful.

[@harrok38]

Awesome! Thank you.

[@rlwalker2]

Glad to see you back. I'll be trying this. I love dishes made with stock and I've been using the boxes quite a bit.

[@Iknowonlywhatimtaught]

I miss the old neighborhood meat markets. I use to be able to buy bones at the market. Can't get them anymore. so much for progress in the 21 st century.

[@carolrosas6785]

Excellent ❤

[@karolinesmail489]

Exactly how I do my stocks mom taught me well she grew up in war torn Europe nothing was wasted yes the chicken feet do make best ...

[@skitzkle]

My chickens would love those veggies you got rid!

[@reneestevens2526]

I’ve been making my own stocks for about a year in my Instant Pot. I’m curious why when scooping the large solids of bones & veggies you don’t press it at all? I never thought to roast the onions, garlic & carrots first, nor the already cooked bones. I love using the chicken feet for mine as they’re mostly bone & give off tons of collagen. Thanks for all the tips!

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

I don't press because I find the solids released by pressing can "muddy" the flavor of the stock. Yes, I'm losing some volume. But then I concentrate it by the reduction, and when I rehydrate it, the resulting stock is FAR more flavorful than anything from the store.

[@karenreaves3650]

Thank you so much Ben great information.

[@b.e.d.brewing3909]

This is AWESOME!!!!! The stock is beautiful! A few questions: can I use the bones of a deep fried turkey/chicken? Could this be done in a slow cooker? (Obviously not during boiling :-)).

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Yes, ANY bones can be used, whether they are raw or cooked (via ANY method.) Slow cookers CAN produce stock. However, most slow cookers have a limited capacity, so you won't able to produce very much stock at a time, and you'll need to use the HIGHEST setting, for at least a 12 hour cook.

[@musicbymark]

Ben: go green, no "garbage", all those veggies and bone fragments make wonderful COMPOST! BTW, my local supermarket said they get their chickens w/o any gizzards, neck, chicken organs. I'll have to check around or get some out of town.

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Mark, 95% of my kitchen waste is composted or processed by my chickens, but I don't give them ANY chicken byproducts other than egg shells. So my chicken waste goes into the trash. (I'm very familiar with animal product composting, I have a Master Composter certification, but I don't do it on my tiny suburban lot that backs to a greenbelt full of possums, raccoons, coyotes and bobcats! My chickens don't need any more attention than they already bring!)

[@musicbymark]

@@ultimatefoodgeek I didn't know there was a certification in composting, interesting. They say strange things happen when animals go cannibalistic, so I imagine you don't want to discover your chickens have developed some strange prions like mad cow disease or chronic wasting disease in deer. Those predators digging through your compost would be a little anxiety evoking with your chickens, but cool that you raise your own and live so close to nature. I'm sure we'd enjoy being neighbors 🤗 (are you a fellow musician by chance?).

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

@@musicbymark I was a classically trained vocalist in college, these days all I really do is play a bit of guitar (and even less banjo) and sing a bit.

[@musicbymark]

@@ultimatefoodgeek I figured - you should post some music videos of yours. 😎; I sing & play🎸 both too (plus harmonica, uke, dulcimer). My weekday gig is psychotherapy w/bar gigs/etc. on weekends (pre-covid). Some future video considerations: Sourdough Pasties, Pizza 🍕, unique Chili, lamb🥩 or other curry? Spargelsuppe (German asparagus soup).

[@annec781]

My grandmother always said your stock won’t “gel” (when refrigerated) unless you put feet in it.

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Gotta use the feet!

[@dptoivonen]

Ben, can you clarify the stock and then reduce it, or do you need all those solids for reducting?

[@isabellaavella2113]

Can't tell you enoigh how interesting your videos r

[@lanastraea]

To maintain flexibility for different uses, could you do the clarification step after you reconstitute the broth concentrate, as needed?

[@bizzybits1918]

I’ve been making stock this way (almost) but only recently started roasting the bones. It does make a wonderful difference in the stock. Since my vegetables are usually frozen scraps I don’t try to roast those, but I think I’ll start adding more fresh carrots and onions that have been roasted. Garlic, too. Thanks for the tips about long cooking times not being ideal for onions and herbs. Didn’t know that. Kinda moot for the pressure cooker but nice to be informed. Will buy chicken feet! I do add lots of black peppercorns to mine. Any reason not to? One thing - I think the layer of fat on top helps it keep longer. No scientific evidence of course, just seems to me it does. Just found your channel, love your videos, thanks.

[@bizzybits1918]

I only make about 4 or 5 quarts at a time but it’s so easy I don’t mind doing it often.

[@Cannikan]

I love this! I have zero freezer space, though. Is it possible to can that concentrate to make it shelf safe?

[@robindevellen7038]

Pressure can it it in pint or quart jars.

[@DaveArtkowsky]

Some great tips here! I was hoping to find info on beef broth as I have a large bag of frozen bones from buying a half cow. Can it be reduced the same way as the chicken broth? Some people say you need to "blanch" the beef bones first, and others do not...?

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

For beef bones, blanching first, before roasting, is best. The resulting broth will taste much better. Bring them to a rapid boil for 20 minutes. Then discard the boil water. Roast the bones, and then make the stock. Add some vinegar or lemon juice or citric acid to the water to help increase extraction of solids. And yes, you can reduce it just the same way!

[@yalcos4]

"Golden brown broth my ass!!" Classic. You are a bad ass cook. Thanks for the knowledge. Also I went to GHS lol.

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Love your clip of the barbershop quartet at Boston Market! I miss singing barbershop.

[@ArtFlowersBeeze8815]

Ive been freeze drying my stock. Good for a long, long, long time. If you have a smoker, smoke the bones or even partially smoke them, then roast. Really nice alternative flavour. Please cook your egg shells in the microwave first. Salmonella can live on shells.

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Salmonella is destroyed instantly above 165F. So egg shells do not need to be pasteurized before putting them in the simmering liquid, which is far above that temp.

[@Robin-d3e]

Dude! Throw that wonderful flavor into some qt canning jars and pressure can it. Save freezer space. I have a "Oster" simmering with buffalo leg bones. I;m making bone broth for my dogs, who are getting old, it's good for their joints.

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

If I canned all the stock I go through, I'd have a garage dedicated only to stock. Reducing to concentrate is the only way I can handle it all.

[@Tom-lf7zw]

How long does this last in the fridge? Thanks!

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Months.

[@NightflyUK6969]

How long would the concentrate keep in the fridge? (Apologies if it was in the video but didn't notice it!)

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Months? If you get a speck of mold growing on the surface, just scrape it off

[@NightflyUK6969]

@@ultimatefoodgeek Awesome, thanks for the quick reply!

[@KN-lu5ty]

@@ultimatefoodgeek Is there a risk of botulism with this process if stored in the fridge for 1-2 months?

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

@@KN-lu5ty Virtually none. The extended cooking time of the stock, then the lengthy reducing, should purge any spores or toxin present. (185F for 5 minutes is the rule.) I add vinegar or citric acid to my stocks to help with gelatin extraction, which provides a further level of protection.

[@KN-lu5ty]

@@ultimatefoodgeek Awesome - thanks so much

[@sergy5337]

Impressive reducing process ... and I wonder where does all that evaporated water (together with a LOT of flavourful - and greasy - substances, which are much more volatile with water vapour than by themselves) go? To the kitchen surfaces like ceiling, or rangehood? I guess even one such a few litre "reducing" ends up with a noticeable layer of fat everywhere. But why ?! As a chemist, I always find "reducing" any liquid in cooking the greatest cooking myth. Because, apart from unnecessarily wasted time and energy, one loses best flavour while keeping boiling them out. Why not just simply using less liquid, as little as only possible, to start with ?! It will save all flavours in broth or sauce while having them thick; energy, time, and your kitchen surfaces from evaporated fatty stuff. I keep the ratio of bones:water 1 : 1~1.5 (just cover tightly placed bones with water) and my broth solidly gelatinizes when cooled to RT without any reduction and keeping all flavours - what else one would wish for? And, of course, it's a crime to throw away all that solid stuff (except onions) - aren't there any dogs around to appreciate it :)?

[@martinichip8969]

Hi Ben, storage question here. It would be nice to freeze in one of those containers to save space in the freezer but I never need that much at once and not sure how to take just some broth from a block of frozen broth. So I tend to freeze them in cube trays and put them in bags which take a lot of space in the freezer. How do you take a portion from your block of frozen broth?

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

I always found freezing to be problematic, which is why I developed this concentrate method. If I'm storing a container in the freezer, it's only until I finish a container that's in my fridge. Then I move the frozen container to the fridge until I run out. I don't use the concentrate directly from the freezer.

[@doraharrison1642]

Martini Chip, curious how much water is added to a frozen cube of broth, ? thank you

[@templenaff5598]

I just canned 12 pints from the feet, necks and backs from the meat birds we processed last weekend.

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

That's gonna be GREAT stock!

[@templenaff5598]

@@ultimatefoodgeek I put it in the largest crock pot on low for 24 hours. It’s so easy and doesn’t overcook.

[@Anna-ss4sf]

Re: hacking and potential for seeding the kitchen w/ salmonella. Wondering why not set up a table outside covered with plastic and hack away on a windless day. When done, carefully peel the plastic off the table and toss plastic into a trash can set up nearby. This has gotta be way less trouble (and worry) than disinfecting your whole kitchen.

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

I don't know about "way less trouble." A table sturdy enough to take hacking through chicken bones is a heavy affair. I think my picnic table would handle it, but a portable folding table...no way. Spraying Lysol all over the immediate area of my kitchen and waiting 2 minutes before wiping down with a clean, wet cloth isn't that big of a deal.

[@shirleycovey7309]

What are you draining in the sink?

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Fresh cheese made from buttermilk. Check out my video on buttermilk for the method.

[@jenedge5579]

Huh, wonder if it’s sanctioned to can the concentrated stock. I know that thick stuff is a No no for canning, but the stock concentrate is liquid when hot. Hummmm, I’ll have to do some research.

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

You could can it. I would probably add salt and acid to help guard against spoilage.

[@krisbaker9427]

What do you mean by “thick stuff is a non no for canning” ? All sorts of thick stuff us canned. You should pressure can it, not water bath.

[@fazz4444]

Do you have a link to that countertop induction burner? I need one that big for my pressure cooker. I have to make this. Thank you

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

That's EXACTLY what I got mine for, but I use it for all sorts of other things. amzn.to/3U6IHP5

[@fazz4444]

@@ultimatefoodgeek thank you so much

[@jaycarver4886]

Just checked my store prices chicken feet $1.99#, chicken backs or necks $0.99#, turkey necks $2.67# Was just curious I guess...not that I'll be messing with this for a two person household.

[@anasazirose]

Golden brown broth my ass. 😂😂😂😂 Can you do a sourdough bagel recipe?

[@deborahklaus9013]

How long can you store it in the refrigerator?

[@Kim-un7vl]

If you do can this, do you put it in the jars with concentrate or unconcentrated method?

[@anasazirose]

How long with that stock last in the fridge?

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

The concentrated stuff lasts about a month in the fridge before it tends to get moldy. I keep my concentrates in the freezer, with only 1 at a time in the fridge.

[@anneturner8579]

If any doctor tells you to remove all fat (if you are cooking grass fed meat)...run away as fast as you can!

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Well, that entirely depends on your own medical situation! Some people are genetically prone to store LOTS of plaque from dietary saturated fat intake, which their body then coats with calcium, and if a stress test shows you have 95% blockage in your heart, and you have high blood pressure, your doctor may tell you that he wants you to radically limit your intake of saturated fat so you don't have a heart attack or stroke. Your statement is sound, though, for a healthy person.

[@Tpry]

Chicken feet, including nails?

[@ultimatefoodgeek]

Yes! The feet are cleaned and scalded before packaging. And you're boiling them.

[@pamr4094]

Sorry, Im one of the squeamish ones, I couldn't get past chicken feet.

[@kathie4082]

I bet that packaged broth you buy from the store has feet and worse. This is great a great idea and when you buy chicken feet, they are usually cleaned and nails removed. Don't be squeamish. They make great soup and broth. Seriously!

[@ThatTracyJuneStafford]

Hahaha, “ golden brown broth MY ASS!!” Right??? I just love the shite out of you! 🫶🏽👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼🙏🏼